SHIELDS, William
| Service Number: | 983 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 22 August 1914, An original of D Company |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 11th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Deloraine, Tasmania, Australia, 29 December 1891 |
| Home Town: | Kirup, Donnybrook-Balingup, Western Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Sleeper hewer |
| Died: | 10 July 1977, aged 85 years, cause of death not yet discovered, place of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: | Kirup War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 22 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 983, 11th Infantry Battalion, An original of D Company | |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Nov 1914: | Involvement Private, 983, 11th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Fremantle embarkation_ship: HMAT Ascanius embarkation_ship_number: A11 public_note: '' | |
| 2 Nov 1914: | Embarked Private, 983, 11th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ascanius, Fremantle |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
William Shields enlisted during August 1914 from Kirup WA. He was a sleeper hewer prior to the war. He was wounded in action at the Anzac landing 25 April 1915 (shrapnel wound, ribs, legs); evacuated to Egypt and rejoined his unit at Gallipoli, 22 June 1915.
Wounded in action again 12 July 1915 (shrapnel wound, head) and evacuated to Malta, eventually returning to Gallipoli 2 October 1915. He was evacuated for a third time on 16 November 1915 with enteric and admitted to hospital in Egypt. He was reported dangerously ill with typhoid at the end of November 1915, but was reported out of danger just before Christmas 1915.
William Shields must have still been feeling the effects as he was returned to Australia for a change in early 1916 and discharged from the AIF in June 1916.
However, he enlisted again in the 11th Battalion at at Blackboy Hill, Western Australia, September 1917. He was given a new regimental number of 8042 and was back in action in France by early 1918. He was promoted to Lance Corporal in June 1918 and then wounded in action, for a third time on 26 August 1918 when he was bayonetted in the left thigh. He was invalided to England to hospital and was sent home in early 1919 due to the bayonet wound.
His three brothers, 2232 Pte Leonard Joseph Patrick SHIELDS, 12th Bn, killed in action, 23-26 July 1916. 2842 Pte Arthur John SHIELDS, 12th Bn, died of wounds, 30 July 1916. 2522 Pte Clarence SHIELDS, 15th Bn, returned to Australia, 21 July 1918.
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